Madagascar Poverty Rate
Poverty headcount ratio at $2.15/day SI.POV.DDAY
Madagascar's poverty rate was 69.20% in 2021, ranked 77th globally. This represents a 2.8% increase from 2020. Data from World Bank, covering 1980–2021.
Overview
Madagascar's poverty rate stood at 69.20% in 2021, a rise of +1.90pp from 2012. Madagascar ranked 77th globally.
Madagascar’s poverty rate remains among the world’s highest, with 69.20 % of the population living below the national poverty line in 2021, ranking it 77th globally. The indicator rose sharply after the early 2000s, reaching an all‑time peak of 83.10 % in 1993 before falling to a trough of 55.30 % in 2005, illustrating the volatility of the country’s socio‑economic environment over the past four decades. Compared with regional peers, Madagascar’s rate is slightly lower than the Central African Republic’s 71.60 % but considerably higher than Kenya’s 46.40 %, underscoring divergent development pathways within sub‑Saharan Africa. The modest decline from the 2005 trough suggests some progress, yet the recent resurgence to above two‑thirds of the population indicates persistent structural challenges, including limited access to education, health services, and productive assets. Continued investment in inclusive growth and social protection will be essential to reverse the upward trend and bring the poverty rate down in the coming years.
Data & projection
| Year | Poverty Rate | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 69.20% | +1.90pp | #77 |
| 2012 | 67.30% | +2.00pp | #86 |
| 2010 | 65.30% | +10.00pp | #81 |
| 2005 | 55.30% | −2.20pp | #75 |
| 2001 | 57.50% | −21.00pp | #42 |
| 1999 | 78.50% | −2.20pp | #41 |
| 1997 | 80.70% | −2.40pp | #36 |
| 1993 | 83.10% | +21.40pp | #36 |
| 1980 | 61.70% | – | #7 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Madagascar matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2016. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw poverty rate improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Madagascar's poverty rate was 69.20% in 2021. Ranked 77th globally. This represents a 2.8% increase from the previous year.
Madagascar's poverty rate peaked at 83.10% in 1993.
The lowest poverty rate in Madagascar was 55.30% in 2005.
Madagascar ranks 77th globally in poverty rate as of 2021.
The World Bank indicator code is SI.POV.DDAY. Data sourced from World Bank.
The poverty rate of Madagascar in 2021 was 69.20%. This ranks 77th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_madagascar_poverty-rate,
title = {Madagascar Poverty Rate},
url = {https://historysaid.com/madagascar/poverty-rate/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}